Roller coasters today are built to be faster and more intense than ever, and this trend may be posing a risk to the health of riders.
Amusement parks in California have some of the fastest roller coasters around. To prevent riders from being injured, there are many safety precautions that must be followed. The International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions makes the claim that only one out of 16 million people have a chance of ending up seriously injured at U.S. amusement parks when using fixed-site rides. They imply that it is more likely for someone to get struck by lightning than it is for someone to be injured while riding a roller coaster.
Rides are pushing the limits
While the chances are supposedly low, people have certainly been injured on roller coasters-sometimes fatally. One U.S. senator expressed concerns that the thrill-seeking mentality in designing these rides should not outweigh the importance of risk-prevention. He said that the G-forces that astronauts undergo in their training are actually lower than the forces riders are subjected to in some roller coasters, which can move at speeds of 100 miles per hour.
In a recent article by ABC News, it is stated that the number of victims sent to emergency rooms more than doubled in 1998 from the number seen in 1994 – 4,500. And roller coasters today are even more extreme. Modern roller coasters use high-powered motors to launch riders at incredible velocities. The senator thinks that the industry is testing the limits of what people can endure and what technology can withstand.
A tragic story
In July of 2016, a woman died from a brain aneurysm after riding the Goliath, a roller coaster in Six Flags Valentia. A spokesperson for the coroner stated that a preexisting blister in the woman's brain artery burst, and that this likely happened because she was subjected to a high level of strain as a result of riding the attraction.
Brain bleeding can occur
A Japanese neurologist stated that it is possible for a harmful type of brain injury where internal bleeding occurs, known as subdural hematomas, to form when people ride roller coasters. While studies have been inconclusive, they have recorded that riders of these attractions have developed this condition.
Getting legal help
Rides that claim to be safe can still pose hidden dangers. People in the Anaheim area who have been injured while riding attractions at amusement parks may be entitled to financial compensation in order to help them deal with medical costs, as well as with the pain and suffering caused by a life-altering injury. Those looking to pursue such options may want to seek the advice of a local attorney who is experienced in personal injury law.
